Merfolk Territory
The merfolk have a loosely feudal political structure, practicing enatic ultimogeniture (youngest female child inherits); the current High Queen of the Merfolk is Riefya IV Aleta, called the Blessed. Trade is common amongst the merfolk and between them and the surface races, engineers, and locathah. The merfolk are in a state of perpetual war with both the sahuagin and the kuo-toa. The merfolk and tritons are very similar and their territories overlap in places. There is more extensive trade between the merfolk and the tritons than with any other group, and interbreeding is common. The most overt physical difference between merfolk and tritons is the single fused tail or leg-like fins; the two races are otherwise so similar that there is effectively no such thing as a half-merfolk/half-triton. In any union between a merfolk and a triton, there is a 25% chance the offspring will be merfolk, a 25% chance it will be triton, and a 50% chance it will be born irremediably deformed (with complications reminiscent of the rare human condition sirenomelia) and will die within 1d4 days unless repaired with a permanent polymorph or similar spell. Located at a prime latitude near the equator and a prime depth, Syren~kya (population 170,000), the largest merfolk city, is located near the summit of what was a medium-high mountain before the Inundation. Merfolk can often be seen on the surface near Syren~kya sunning themselves on large chunks of driftwood, or flirting shamelessly with Omorashi fishermen. Historical Merfolk Queens *327-319ai - Ariel I Arielid "the Conquerer" - united the merfolk under one banner *319-252ai - Ariel II Arielid *252-211ai - Madison I Arielid "the Wicked" *211-156ai - Cleodora Arielid "the Quarreler" - some of reign spent in contention with various nobles with better claims to the throne *156-154ai - Madison II Arielid "the Hunter" *154-148ai - Miranda I Arielid *148-149ai - Ariel III Arielid "the Shrewd" *149-79ai - Lorelei I Loreleid "the Usurper" - seized power, formed new dynasty *79-58ai - Coralia Loreleid "the Apostle" *58-56ai - Lorelei II Ocarina "the Clueless" - formed new dynasty after the extinction of the Loreleids *56ai - Ariel IV Ocarina "the Mad" - ruled 189 days, cursed to early death by sea hags *56ai-10ii - Tethys I Tethid "the Hammer" - formed new dynasty after the extinction of the Ocarinas, Inundation begins *10ii - Lorelei III Tethid - ruled 15 days *10-21ii - Sedna I Tethid "the Martyr" *21-30ii - Ariel V Arielid "the Restorer" - seized power, restored Arielid dynasty *30ii-42pi - Ianthe I Arielid "the Bewitched" - Inundation ends *42-56pi - Lorelei IV Arielid "the Fair" (entombed near Nakon, in the Omorashi Empire) *56-77pi - Sedna II Arielid "the Witch" - killed in battle with Little-but-will-kill-you-with-her-mind, high priestess of Quasxthe *77-131pi - Miranda II Arielid "the Welcomer" - Welcomes the tritons after the War for Hell *131-158pi - Riefya I Arielid "the Black" *158-238pi - Sedna III Arielid *238-253pi - Ondine I Ondinid "the Usurper" - seized power *253-317pi - Ianthe II Arielid "the Returner" - seized power, restored Arielid dynasty *317-319pi - Tethys II Hafgufid "the Devout" - seized power amidst fundamentalist revival of Hafgufan religion *319-324pi - Lorelei V Hafgufid "the Unable" - abdicated amid a host of scandals *324-373pi - Riefya II Hafgufid "the Dragon" *373-423pi - Riefya III Aleta "the Usurper" - seized power, formed new dynasty (entombed in the Resentment Ward of Endeesy in Gus) *423-433pi - Ariel VI Aleta "the Merry" - assassinated by kuo-toa during trade negotiations *433 - Ariel VII Aleta - ruled 174 days *433-447pi - Lorelei VI Aleta *447-482pi - Ondine II Aleta "the Lionfish" *482pi-present - Riefya IV Aleta "the Blessed" - Subsidence Demographics The population of merfolk territory is roughly 66 million individuals, in the following proportions: * 61% merfolk * 23% tritons * 16% miscellaneous seafolk Settlements *Syren~kya: Pop. 170,000, ruled by Queen Riefya IV Aleta "the Blessed" *Mas~sya~nya: Pop. 78,800, ruled by Duchess Madison Tethid *7 other Cities, ruled by Duchesses *31 Towns, ruled by Countesses *263 Villages, ruled by Baronesses Category:Geography